1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to needle covers for venipuncture devices and more particularly to a package having novel structure whereby the package, when opened forms a combination needle cover and venipuncture device tray.
2. The Prior Art
Historically, venipuncture devices of a type having a needle portion and a handle portion have had a separate cover for protecting and enclosing the needle portion of the venipuncture device. Typically, a needle cover for a venipuncture device fits over the needle of the venipuncture device and is press-fit onto the hub of the needle, the press-fit relation between the cover and the hub thereby insuring that the cover will not slip off the needle of the venipuncture device without applying sufficient pressure with the thumb and forefinger to push the cover off the needle hub. This type of venipuncture device complete with its needle cover is then placed in some type of packaging, generally of a plastic type, enclosing the entire venipuncture device and needle cover until such time as it is desired to use the device.
When using a venipuncture device of the type described above, the venipuncture device is removed from the package and placed on a nearby flat surface. The person using the venipuncture device then prepares the patient's arm for injection of the venipuncture device by sterilizing the skin where the device is to be injected and by palpating the patient's arm with one hand in order to locate the patient's vein. While thus holding the patient's arm in one hand and palpating it so as to locate the patient's vein, the person using the venipuncture device then must pick up the venipuncture device with his other hand and remove the needle cover. Since the needle cover is in press-fit relation with the hub of the needle, considerable force is required to push the cover off of the needle. This causes inconvenience to the person trying to perform the venipuncture and distracts his attention thereby causing him to occasionally lose the location of the patient's vein.
Furthermore, it often happens that while holding a patient's arm in one hand the venipuncture device must be withdrawn from the patient's arm by the other hand and set back down on a nearby surface. In order not to contaminate the needle of the venipuncture device, it is then necessary to place the needle of the venipuncture device back into the needle cover. However, this is inconvenient and oftentimes very difficult to do with one hand since a conventional needle cover is generally of a small tubular shape and the venipuncture needle is two or three inches long. Thus, when a needle cover is lying on a flat surface, it is extremely difficult and inconvenient to replace the relatively long venipuncture needle back into its cover using only one hand, as is often the case.
In addition to the difficulties mentioned above, having to provide a separate needle cover as well as a package for the entire venipuncture device increases the cost involved.
Until this present invention, a single package having novel structure accommodating use of the package when opened as a one-hand-operable combination sterile needle cover and venipuncture device tray has not been available.